A Prospective Survey of Patient-Controlled Epidural Analgesia with Bupivacaine and Clonidine After Total Hip Replacement

Abstract

The systematic changeover from epidural hydromorphone to clonidine produced mixed results without obvious superiority. The VPS at rest was reduced only on postoperative day 0; pruritus was reduced, but hypotension was increased. On the basis of medical staff preference, we discontinued the systematic change and returned to our previous standard solution of bupivacaine and hydromorphone for PCEA after total hip replacement.